Do You Have Sensitive Teeth?

If you’ve felt the telltale pain of sensitive teeth, you know how much it can impact your life, making activities, such as brushing, flossing, eating and drinking, difficult. The most common causes of this sharp, temporary pain include worn down tooth enamel or exposed tooth roots. However, in some cases, discomfort can be caused by cavities, cracks and chips, or it can be a side effect of a dental procedure, such as whitening.

If you’re concerned about your tooth sensitivity, you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Geetika Chawla at our office in Vancouver, WA to identify the underlying cause of your pain. Depending on your circumstance, we can recommend a variety of actions, such as desensitizing toothpaste, fluoride, sealants or a root canal.

Once your sensitivity has been neutralized, there are several steps you can take to prevent it from recurring:

• Brush your teeth twice a day
• Use a soft-bristled tooth brush
• Use toothpaste with fluoride
• Floss daily
• Avoid vigorous scrubbing and excessive brushing
• Wear a mouthguard if you grind your teeth

You might also want to consider your diet. Acidic food and drinks, such as sodas, citrus fruits, wine and yogurt, can all remove tooth enamel. To minimize damage, you can try drinking with a straw to limit the liquid’s contact with your teeth, as well as drinking milk or water after consumption to balance the acid levels in your mouth. You should also never brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking these substances, since you can actually brush away your softened enamel.

To schedule an appointment at Radiance Dental, call (360) 369-6420. For more information, visit www.RadianceDentalNW.com.

Whitening Your Teeth with ZOOM! and BriteSmile

Keeping your teeth white can be a lot harder than you might think. Even with diligent brushing, flossing and dental cleanings, teeth can still lose their gleam and darken over time due to constant exposure to food and drinks. If you’ve noticed your teeth are yellowing or dull, we offer ZOOM! whitening services and BriteSmile to help you restore your teeth’s color and luster. It is one of the many cosmetic procedures Dr. Geetika Chawla offer to help you achieve a smile you will be happy to show off in Camas, WA.

To help patients get their whitest smiles, we employs the ZOOM! whitening system or BriteSmile, which are chair-side whitening procedure that is done in the dentist’s office, using a safe whitening gel combined with low-intensity light. The light activates the hydrogen peroxide in the gel, which can lighten your teeth up to 10 shades in only an hour! Unlike other whitening systems that involve multiple sessions and take-home trays, ZOOM! and BriteSmile produce results that are both drastic and quick.

For the best results, patients should have their teeth cleaned prior to the whitening procedures since tartar and plaque can prevent the whitening gel from working in certain areas. By having your teeth cleaned, you are ensuing that you get an even, white smile.

To schedule an appointment with Radiance Dental, call (360) 369-6420. For more information, visit www.RadianceDentalNW.com.

Sedation Dentistry

If just the thought of going to the dentist for a procedure brings on fear and anxiety, sedation dentistry is probably the right choice for you. Between 5 and 8 percent of Americans avoid going to the dentist due to dental phobia, but you don’t need to let your oral health suffer because of fear. At our office in Vancouver, WA, we offer a safe environment where we can comfort anxious patients through various sedation methods.

Sedation is mainly used when a patient has a high level of anxiety or dental phobia, not because of pain. At Radiance Dental, we can sedate our patients through intravenous sedation or a general anesthesia. These methods will make sure you can tend to your oral health while avoiding the anxiety that accompanies visiting the dentist.

IV administration is becoming a popular sedation option for many dentists. This type of sedation is administered through the veins, which allows for quicker effects and less recovery time than oral methods. Recommended for moderate to severe anxiety, intravenous sedation will put you in a deep state of relaxation while still conscious.

For severe cases, general anesthesia can be used. This method allows the patient to have dental procedures performed while in an unconscious state. You will be put in a light state of sedation before your procedure, and when you wake up, Dr. Geetika Chawla will have completed your treatment. This method is completely safe.

To schedule an appointment with Radiance Dental, call (360) 369-6420. For more information, visit www.RadianceDentalNW.com.